Refrigerator display case



Jan. 8, 1929.

C. V. HILL REFRIGERATOR DISPLAY CASE Filed Dec. lO, 1927 Patented Jan. 8, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

CLEMENT v. HILL, or TRENTON, NEW Jinzsiiir.-

nniimonnn'ron DISPLAY CASE.

i Application led December 10, 1927. Serial No. 239,142.

` down on the goods displayed in the case; also on the glass panels and doors of the case, especially near the top. When the doors are opened the hot air rushes in the case near the top and condenses on the bottom ,of the drip pan; also on jambs or framework above the doors, as Vthe cold air from the pipes or tank above comes in direct Contact with the door jambs and framework above, causing considerable dampness and moisture in the case. Many attempts have been made to prevent this condensation gathering on. the glass., doors, frames and upper part of the case like a fog, whiclrconceals the contents of the case thereby defeating-the object of display cases.

' A case built with the cold reservoir at the top, having a drip pan underneaththe coils or tanks to catch the condensation, spreads the cold air across in the top of the case, because the cold air cannot drop down in the case on account of the pan; therefore, the air circulation isdirected sidewise toward each side of the case, making the front glass very `cold near the top; also the doors and jambs very cold near the top. The glass either side being so cold causes al sweat on the inside glass between the two inner plates of glass. In other words, the moisture in the space between the two inner glass plates condenses near the top on the inside of the inner glass. This condensation causes a moisture or foggy appearance, which is between the two inner plates of glass. Now by providing the baliies, according to myA invention, the warm air passes up next to the walls of the case, so the walls, doors or glass panels do not becomel nearly as cold, preventing the condensation between the two nnerplates of glass. The

front of the case and the doors are fitted with two or three glass plates, and sometimes four glass 'plates` when a very cold temperature is desired. The baffles prevent the currents or circulation of cold air from coming in contact with the walls of the case, and instead, the .cold air isv carried down in the centre of the case and the warm air passing up between the baiiie and the wall of the case increases the circulation on account of no currents of cold air coming' down in that space to retardv thecireulation upward. i A

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section of a display case einbodyingmy invention.

Figure 2 is a detail View showing a modified form of baille plates or defi( tors.

The reference numeral 1 designates adis- 'play refrigerator case having the display chamber 2 provided with a perfo-rated shelf '3, on which the goods are displayed. This displaychamber is provided with glass panels LL and glass panel doors 5. The case is provided with suitable insulation 6. As shown cases of this general character are converged near the top so that, as a rule, there is'a comparatively'l narrow `space at the top `of the case in .which to position 'the refrigerating element in said top and get the warm air currents up there and cause the cold air currents to iow down from said top. In'the present instance for purposes of illustrating my invention I. have shown refrigerant circulating pipes 7 in the top of the case. and positioned a drip pan 8 beneath said pipes.

On each side of the pipes 7 I have positioned a bailie plate 9 which extends to the top of the series of pipes and at their lower end' extend below the drip pan, the lower ends being deflected inwardly as at 10. These baille plates converge toward each other'from bottom to top, the distance between the lower vends of the baffle plates at the bottom being greater from the converging top side walls of the case than they are at the top, thereby providing a wide open space vat the bottom to facilitate the flow of warm air up between the baiiles and the top side walls of the case.

These baflles 9 divide the circulation of warm air and of cold air to and from the refrigerating medium. Without this division` in such a narrow space, as is found in typical display cases at the top, to get cold air down in the case and the warm air up to the refrigerating medium without the warm air condensing and forming as a sweat on the glass panels is an impossibility.

Now in using my invention the bailies 9 direct the cold air down in the center of the case. Said baies hold the cold air in a `central column, which passes through the shelf 3 into the lower storage compartment 11 as indicated by the arrows, thereby permitting the warm air to pass up next to the walls of the case, thence bet-Ween the bailles 9 and the Walls,

over the top of the bales to the refrigerating medium 7.

I have found by experiment that with my v invention used the walls of the case do not get as cold as they do when the batlies are not used, therefore they do not sweat as much when the doors are opened; and the glass panels 1n the doors do not sweat.

The bales '9 are removable and may be made adjustable as to height, increasing or diminishing the circulation of air if found desirable.

You can readily see, as I said above, the walls of the ease do not get as cold, conseuently the moisture will not condense on tiem nearly as much when the ldoors are opened, and what little moisture does condense, when the doors are opened, is soon dried olf by the warm air current passing up. But, wit-hout the bales this' moisture keeps gathering until the walls become very Wet, which swells the doors and framework of the ease and causes much dampness in the ease. The sweating on the bottom of the drip pan does not amount to much. The main feature of all is to keep the walls of the case from getting cold enough to condense moisture between the two inside glass; also on the j ambs and walls of the case near the top. The increased circula-tion of air caused by the baffles makes it possible to produce a dry cold air in the case; also prevents sweating between the glass and on the walls of the case.

In Figure 2 I have shown the baie plates 9 without any deflection at their lower ends.

In reference to bailes being arranged on a bevel and not exactly straight up and down, will say a baille straight up and down could b e used as well, if the case were a little Wider at the top. In a. case narrow at the top it is an advantaV ev to have them near the shape of the wallgs of the ease, as shown in my drawings. Of course,a person could make the same ease a little wider at the top and put the baille straight up and down. This would answer the same' purpose but would not give the same bevel or display in the front of the case. Another feature of the baflies causes the cold air currents to shoot down each side of the pan, cutting off anycirculation of warm air from coming in contact with the bottom of the pan, which causes much condensation. With the bales, the warm air shoots upward between the downward cold air current and the'wa-ll of the case. All the moisture in t-he warm air is carried up the het air flue and condensed on the coils or cold tank above.

I am aware that changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of my invention, and Within the scope of the appended claim..

lVhat I claim is:

In a refrigerator show-ease, having a glass front and glass doors at the rear, a. mechanical refrigeration means positioned near the top of the case, a Adrip pan under said means and a baille pla-te on each side of and spaced from said means and pan and converging toward each other from the bottom to the top, and also spaced from the front and rear walls of the case, aI storage compartment in the bottom of the case, and a perforated display shelf over said compartment whereby warm air passes up to said means between the ease walls and battles and the cold air passes downward between the bailles into the case and storage compartment.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CLEMENT V. HILL. 

